July 1 is Canada
Day,
when the country celebrates its national independence. This year, it’s the 149th anniversary. If there is a common identity a century and a half into Canada’s nationhood, it may be one born of a quiet patriotism, of self-deprecating humor, of a mosaic of cultures. Maybe it’s also an identity of not being. As the revered Canadian historian Pierre Berton once wrote, "We know who we are not, even if we aren't quite sure who we are. We are not American."

Here, in celebration of Canada Day, is a collection of photos from lesser known pockets of the nation, highlighting Canada in all its diversity, disparity, tension, and exuberance.

Natasha Daly is a Toronto native, now based in Washington, DC. She works at National Geographic. Follow her on Twitter.